Reaction
by mamageek
Summary: Surely they could do something more productive than watch a movie.


Notes: I own nothing, as always. A friend was down, so I wrote a fluffy ficlet to cheer her up.

* * *

><p>"C'mon, Magnus. It'll be fun." There was a slight whine to Will's voice as he spoke.<p>

"I have far more productive things to be doing Will. There's paperwork, research, reading. "

"Magnus, you have an awesome theatre system down there. Have you ever even used it?"

"I'm not terribly interested in using it, Will," Helen said. "Henry set it up a few years ago so he could watch hockey." Will rolled his eyes.

"Magnus. The system is amazing for hockey, I'm not going to lie. But it's got so many more uses than that! And you'll like this movie, I swear. It's really good." Helen sighed. Sensing her weakening resolve, Will pounced.

"Henry and Biggie are out on that mission. Kate's underground. Nobody will know that the great Helen Magnus took a few hours off work to relax. What'dya say?" He beamed at her, blue eyes shining from behind the glasses he'd put on again.

"Oh...alright. Just this once." she waggled her finger at him admonishingly. "I'll not make a habit of this, William," she said.

"Why, Dr. Magnus. Is that a teasing note to your voice?" Will asked, grinning at her. Helen smiled as she strode past him.

* * *

><p>Slightly more than two hours later, the credits rolled across the screen. Will glanced over to see Helen curled up comfortably at the other end of the couch. He slid towards her carefully.<p>

"So...?" he asked, expectantly.

"It was lovely, Will. Sad, of course, but lovely. You were right. I did enjoy it." Her blue eyes had more than their usual shine to them.

"Magnus, are you...okay?" he asked, concern marking his voice. He stood quickly and turned on the lights before returning to the couch and sitting beside her. Looking at her face carefully, he noted again the extra shine in her eyes and, in the new light, a slight dark smudge beneath one of them. He raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Were you crying?" he asked, cautiously.

"I..." Magnus trailed off. "It was a terribly touching movie, Will, and, well, I knew the man!" Will sat stock-still for a moment.

"Of course you did. Scholarly type. Of course you knew him. God, Helen...Magnus. I'm sorry." He shook his head. "I'm an idiot. I should have picked some other movie."

"No, Will. You couldn't have known that I was acquainted with him. I didn't know him well. Our paths crossed a few times, is all." Her breath caught as she added, "But he was brilliant." Will scooted a few inches closer to her. Helen attempted to wipe the dark smudge from below her eye but succeeded only in smearing it more. Will smiled.

"What?" Helen asked, a suspicious tone to her voice.

"Nothing," Will said, still smiling. "I've just never seen you react this way to something like this before." Helen scoffed.

"There's plenty of things you haven't seen me react to, Will. I've lived more than my share of lifetimes."

A smirk developed on Will's face. Before Helen could ask what he was thinking-he could see the question forming on her lips-he acted on his impulse. Leaning forward, he placed a hand on the back of Helen's head and pressed his lips to hers, gently at first, then more firmly as he felt her respond. His stomach soared in excitement-he certainly hadn't expected this. After a minute, he broke the kiss and sat back, unable to tear his eyes from her face.

"What was that about?" Helen asked, her normally composed voice just slightly unsteady.

"Just one more thing I hadn't seen you react to," Will said, the smirk coming to his face again. "Can't say I haven't been curious how you'd react...though I admit I'dve never guessed that way." Helen smiled.

"Well, Will, I am full of surprises. And, as you said earlier, we are alone in the Sanctuary. _Nobody_ will know about this evening." Her meaning was clear in her carefully placed emphasis.

Will simply smiled. He'd been looking for a reaction, and he'd gotten one.

And he was looking forward to trying to get another one, sometime very soon.


End file.
